Hu Xiaocao watched the woman cautiously, her expression somewhat dejected. Her lips moved haltingly. "Mom, I couldn't find the medicinal herb Grandpa Wu mentioned, so I couldn't cure your illness completely. Am I really useless?"
The adults present felt their hearts ache at those words. Even several burly men couldn't help reddening around the eyes.
Xiao Cao was simply far too sensible.
At an age when children ought to have been innocent and carefree, she had already taken on the heavy burden of life, pressing down on her impossibly frail shoulders.
While other children were running wild across the mountains and fields, Hu Xiaocao was already dragging over a stool, rising onto her tiptoes, and tending the fire and cooking on a stove taller than she was.
The woman could no longer hold back. Her choked sobs turned into quiet weeping, and tears as large as beans fell onto Hu Xiaocao.
Hu Xiaocao felt warmth spread across her shoulder. Only then did she realize the woman was crying, and she hurriedly comforted her:
"Mom, don't cry. Grandpa Wu's medical skills are so good. He'll definitely think of another way to cure you."
Hu Xiaocao felt someone pat her shoulder. When she turned around, she saw that it was Wu Yuan.
"Xiao Cao, take a look. Do you know what this is?"
He waved the plant in his hand. Its white petals were like stars, and its leaves had slightly serrated edges. It was exactly the same as the one she had drawn earlier.
Hu Xiaocao's eyes widened as if she had seen something extraordinary.
"This, this is Moonpetal Grass! Grandpa Wu, where did you find it? I searched the mountain for ages earlier, but I never saw any."
Wu Yuan ruffled her hair. "You silly girl, I found it on you."
Hu Xiaocao's eyes were round and bright, like black grapes hanging from a tree. Her little face, devoid of flesh, somehow looked rather adorable at that moment.
She pointed at herself and said incredulously, "You found it on me? Grandpa Wu, I didn't pick any Moonpetal Grass."
"That's right. When you were unconscious, you were clutching this plant in your hand."
After wearing out iron shoes searching high and low, he had found it without the slightest effort.
Hearing Wu Yuan's explanation, Hu Xiaocao froze in place. She remembered how, just before she had nearly fallen, her hands had been waving wildly, as though she had grabbed hold of something.
Could the plant she had seized then have been Moonpetal Grass?
At the time, she had seen the mountain god not far away. She had even knelt and kowtowed, offering the wild fruit she had picked.
Could it be that the mountain god had manifested after seeing her sincerity and guided her to the Moonpetal Grass?
In truth, everything had merely been an accident, but Hu Xiaocao couldn't help filling in the blanks with her imagination.
And the coincidence was simply too perfect. Moonpetal Grass grew not far from where Ye Qin cultivated, and Hu Xiaocao had found her way there and witnessed the manifestation of Ye Qin's divine abilities.
It was as though everything had been destined long ago.
Hu Xiaocao excitedly leaped up from the bed and clasped her hands together. "That's wonderful! Grandpa Mountain God really did manifest! He blessed me and helped me find Moonpetal Grass."
She hopped around in excitement.
The woman was somewhat worried. "You child, what nonsense are you talking about? You're still injured. Be careful."
Wu Yuan was also completely baffled. Unable to hold back, he asked, "Xiao Cao, you clearly picked this Moonpetal Grass yourself. Why are you saying it was the mountain god?"
Hu Xiaocao answered solemnly, "Because I saw the mountain god cultivating, so I made a wish, and then I found it."
Everyone exchanged smiles, taking it as nothing more than childish nonsense.
Hearing this, the woman also broke into a smile through her tears. "It's getting late. For now, thank you all for coming today."
Wu Yuan and the others said their farewells and left.
After washing up briefly, Hu Xiaocao and her mother also lay down on the bed to rest.
Because she was too excited, Hu Xiaocao tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The moment she thought of seeing the mountain god that day, she became wildly excited.
The woman was puzzled as well. Hu Xiaocao had been exhausted after spending the whole day outside and had even been injured. By rights, she should have fallen into a deep sleep long ago.
No one knew how much time had passed before Hu Xiaocao finally sank into deep sleep, still murmuring incessantly. They could vaguely make out the words "mountain god," "snake," and "moon."
The woman carefully tucked the quilt around Hu Xiaocao. "What a silly child. How could there be such a thing as a mountain god in this world?"
Early the next morning, accompanied by a loud crowing rooster, Hu Xiaocao opened her eyes and got dressed and out of bed with brisk efficiency.
The sky had not yet brightened. The last traces of night had not faded, and a black curtain covered the village. Wisps of cooking smoke could be seen rising faintly.
In the cities, most people would still have been asleep, but people in the countryside had always risen early. The day's labor began with it.
The woman struggled out of bed. Perhaps because she had spent the previous day in constant fear and worry, her complexion looked even worse.
"Cough, cough. Xiao Cao, why didn't you sleep a little longer?"
Hu Xiaocao had returned late the previous day, and now she was already up. Altogether, she had slept only a few hours.
Hu Xiaocao added firewood to the stove while tending the simmering clay pot. She shook her head. "No. If I get up late, there'll be even more things I can't finish."
Hu Xiaocao moved with practiced ease. Clearly, she had done this countless times before.
Ever since her mother had fallen ill, most of the household chores had fallen on her shoulders. But no matter how capable Hu Xiaocao was, there were some things she simply couldn't do.
Neither mother nor daughter had the strength to work. Fortunately, their neighbors were kindhearted and often brought them a few things.
Besides that, whenever she had time, Xiao Cao helped others cut pigweed, gather firewood, collect cicada shells, and do whatever other tasks she could manage to help support the household.
Although the mother and daughter lived on a tight budget, at least they wouldn't starve to death.
The woman was filled with guilt and self-reproach. "Xiao Cao, your mother has let you down. If only my health were a little better, you wouldn't have to work so hard. All the housework has fallen on your shoulders."
Compared with Hu Xiaocao's peers, all the other children were much taller and healthier. It was obvious at a glance that Hu Xiaocao was malnourished, all skin and bones.
With insufficient nourishment and so many chores to do, she looked as though she were only five or six years old.
Hu Xiaocao shook her head and raised her face. "Mom, I don't find it hard at all. As long as you get better soon, I'm willing to do anything."
Tears shimmered in the woman's eyes. "Good child."
Soon, the room was once again filled with an indescribable medicinal smell. Hu Xiaocao handed over the medicine. "Mom, hurry and drink it. Once you do, you'll get better right away."
Before long, the food on the stove was cooked as well. Hu Xiaocao put some into an enamel cup, then added water to the rest and stirred it in the pot, turning it into thin porridge.
The woman's appetite had been poor lately, so she could only eat this kind of liquid food.
Hu Xiaocao then took a pair of chopsticks and picked out some pickled vegetables from the broken crock beside her. Looking at the crock, which was nearly empty, she seemed to feel she had picked too much.
Her hand trembled again and again. In the end, only a scant few strands remained on the chopsticks. Only then did she feel it was about right. She placed them into the enamel cup, and that became her food for the entire day.
This was also why Hu Xiaocao was malnourished. After all, this was all she ate every day.
(End of Chapter)
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